Your expert advice...........
Turbo Mini Forums

Right, finally got the car back on the road today, straight through mot no problems.

However, Its eating plugs like their going out of fashion. It has done this in the past and its usually only on number 4, running rich, no matter what I do with the mixture. currently showing 16-17 on wideband at idle.

I whipped the head off to take a look and also to get the valve guides done next week.

Here are some pictures

Bores. note how golden number 1+ 2 are, like they are getting a better burn.



Head.



chambers 1+2



chambers 3+4



chamber 2



chamber 4



Looks to me as 3+4 are running richer, so I took a look at the inlet manifold.



Notice the lump of casting in the tract to 3+4, do you think this could cause flow issues at low air speed ie. idle, and cause a rich mixture on these two cylinders?

I have ground it off to match the other inlet port and will see how it goes when its back together.

Any thoughts would be most welcome as i am fed up with buying new plugs every week.

Heres a couple of pics now shes finished, dont worry, the big ugly number plate is going.




Thanks guys

yes i would go for the manifold

is the plugs burning out or just fouling ?
if they are burning out go one grade cooler

but see if the manifold sorts this
if not the problem will lie in the head porting

The plugs are just fouling, I want to go for a cooler plug but at the moment they wont stand a chance.

sort the manifold and see if this sorts things ?

go up one grade hotter

your burning oil, and lots of it imho. to the point where it is washign the pistons rather than carboning them up.

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

You could be right there mate. im having the guides done for the exact reason. Hopefully this will sort it.

What plugs do you use?

The fact that it is worse on one cylinder should help find the problem I guess.

Can't be much more help though

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

I have tried ngk 6 and 7's

Currently trying bosch 6 equivalent.

Funny, you'd expect 6s to fail by burning out, rather than sooting up?

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Hi,
Are you water heating the manifold?
Usually clean piston tops means water getting in...
Cheers,
Gavin :)

VEMs Authorised Installer / Re-seller. K head kits now available!

WB/EGT gauges. Click here for customers write-up

Visit www.doyouneedabrain.co.uk

My Mini build diary

No, manifold is dry

whenever ive had anything that clean its been from blowing a head gasket into the water ways

Hi,
Look how close the waterway is to the edge of the gasket on the bottom left..



Could it be leaking across the gasket here?
Cheers,
Gavin :)

VEMs Authorised Installer / Re-seller. K head kits now available!

WB/EGT gauges. Click here for customers write-up

Visit www.doyouneedabrain.co.uk

My Mini build diary

No signs at all of any gasket failure or water ingress.